#buscalan

Going back to my old hobbies to make me feel me. 💗

If there is one person who could best represent the rich culture of Kalinga, a province located in the far north of the Philippines, it is none other than Whang Od, the oldest Filipino tribal tattoo artist. Some even say she put Kalinga on the Philippine map of must-visit places for local and foreigners alike. In fact, many people brave the cold weather and the 10-hour trip to the mountains just to get inked by her.

Whang-od is living proof of the tribe’s batok culture. Covering her body are tattoos with different meanings and designs. Whang-od’s tribal tattoo ink is made up of charcoal and water. Once mixed, it is tapped into the skin using a thorn from a citrus tree — either from calamansi or pomelo. The thorn is then attached to a 12-inch long bamboo stick and from there, Whang-od will start tapping it deep into your skin. 

Getting inked by Whang-od takes some courage as the session can be painful, depending on your body’s tolerance (read: nakangiti lang ako pero sakit na skit ako deep inside haha see my IG stories lol). As a sign of courtesy, visitors are also encouraged to bring in some offerings for your host like food, medicine, and matches which are essential for their day to day existence.

For linear tattoos, it's 100 per unit. Small circular tattoos or stand-alone symbols are at Php 500. Bigger and more complex tattoos are Php 1000. As a brave soul that day, I got four tattoos:

Serpent eagle - heavenly protection, 

Scorpion - courage (and my zodiac sign hehe)

Compass - guidance for travelers, and

Three dots, which is Apo Whang Od's signature